People group profile · PG007403
The Central Tibetans of China
The Central Tibetans of China, numbering about 1,195,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous community of Tibeto-Burman people inhabiting the Trans-Himalaya region that divides India and Nepal from Tibet.
They are an indigenous people in the Tibetan people cluster of the Tibetan Peoples. Their primary religion is Tibetan Buddhism, and they primarily speak Tibetan.
Fast facts
- Country
- China
- Population
- 1,195,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Tibetan
- Primary language
- Tibetan (bod)
- Primary religion
- Tibetan Buddhism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Xizang Autonomous Region; some in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Where they live
Gospel status
The Central Tibetans are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Central Tibetans
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Tibetan Buddhism · Buddhism
98% adherents
Primary language
Tibetan · Sino-Tibetan family
100% speak Tibetan
Gospel resources in Tibetan
- Bible available, published 2023
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Lhasa, Tibetan)
Bibles
- 2016-2021 New Tibetan Bible Committee · video, audio, text
- Central Tibetan Bible · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Central Tibetans
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
Tibetan, Central in other countries
The same people (ROP3 110033) is reported in 7 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tibetans | Nepal | 160,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Tibetans | India | 153,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Tibetans | United States | 12,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Tibetans | Bhutan | 5,900 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Tibetans | Canada | 5,300 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Tibetans | Sweden | 1,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Tibetans | Taiwan | 400 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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